7 Best LLC Formation Service Reviews of 2023 | To Start Your Limited Liability Company Flawlessly

Creating a business is not just a step toward financial gain, it is a contribution to your personal legacy. With that in mind, you do not just want any old helping hand with this task, you want the best LLC formation service available to ensure that that contribution is as great as it can be.

There are a lot of services out there that will claim to be the best llc service, but which one is the best choice for creating an llc? Find out that and more below. If you find this information helpful, then you might have an interest in the other business solutions reviewed by us.

Top-Rated LLC Formation Services

The best LLC formation service is one that helps you in forming an llc or teaches you how to start an llc with the least expense from your pocket while also providing the most reliable and consistent service.

All of the LLC creation services discussed below are capable of helping you with that, otherwise, they would not be LLC creation services. So, we have to delve deeper into the subject to tell what makes one service better than another.

In many cases, I will consider the number of services provided, the quality of each of those services, and how trustworthy that service is to help you decide on which one is the best. In some cases, we will discuss the actual formation of an LLC with that service because there are differences in what parts of the process will be supported by some LLC formation services.

How Do Online LLC Services Work?

In most cases, an online LLC service will work with you to determine what kind of business you are creating, where you are creating it, and how the law will affect it, among other things.

Once you have that preliminary data figured out, you will begin working through the process of filling out the necessary forms to inform the state of your intentions and pass along the information you discussed with the LLC creation service.

Those forms will then be sent from the LLC to the state and the state will begin processing your forms. Once the process is completed you will be sent a notification of that completion and your LLC will have been formed.

Many LLC creation services online will provide other services as well that are meant to benefit those that are already taking part in their primary service of LLC creation.

If that is the case, and you choose to take advantage of those other services, then you will likely find yourself continuing to work with that LLC creation company after the primary job is already done and you begin operating your new business.

What You Should Look for in a Good LLC Service

The most important thing to look for in a good LLC service is its reliability. You can test this by reading reviews and interacting with their customer service department, which will give you a good idea of how their service will perform in the future.

Once you know that a service is reliable, you should consider cost versus benefit. The more money you are paying this service, the better the service has to be to truly be worth the expense.

This is further complicated by the fact that there are services available that will not cost you any extra money at all to go through the LLC formation process. Ultimately, it is up to you and your discretion to decide whether a service is worth it or not.

Best LLC Formation Service We Reviewed For You

[Best Overall]

1. IncFile

Review Score:
  • It starts at the low price of 0 dollars.
  • Full of great features even with their low-cost packages.
  • Provide Registered Agent services.
  • They will remind you of deadlines for filing paperwork.
  • Fantastic customer service.

The LLC creation services offered by IncFile are cheaper than any alternative. They are the absolute best option to go with if you want to save money while still getting all of the benefits of working with an online LLC service.

Why? IncFile is one of the only services which requires you to just pay the state fees to receive regular services. These include the provision of the proper legal forms and a full walkthrough of the LLC formation process.

I enjoyed working with IncFile because the service continues well after you form your LLC. This is one of the options available which continues to offer assistance once your business has started.

For example, IncFile continued to serve as my Registered Agent for a year after the creation process was complete. It was also willing to file all of the necessary forms the day after I completed them and paid the state fees.

Another great feature of IncFile is the transparency. While some of the other LLC formation services I reviewed will have hidden fees, IncFile is straightforward about pricing. I was able to complete the process with minimal monetary investment and still received high-quality service.

However, if you would like additional assistance, there are multiple tiers available. Each one is clear about pricing and what services are included, so you do not have to worry about hidden fees.

Finally, there are a couple of additional features which make IncFile a great choice, especially for individuals who are on a limited budget. I personally enjoyed the following:

  • Free shipping
  • Secure online document storage
  • Email reminders about LLC compliance
  • One year of Registered Agent service
  • No automatic service renewal

Otherwise, you will encounter these pros and cons.

Pros

Excellent pricing

Good variety of services offered

Customer service is reliable and helpful

Rapid turn around times

Cons

only allow refund requests through email

[Most Customizable]

2. Rocket Lawyer

Review Score:
rocket lawyer logo
  • Staffed by many legal professionals
  • They offer other services including legal consultation.
  • Excellent reputation and customer volume.
  • They guarantee satisfaction, which lowers risk.
  • They offer the option of membership or non-membership services.

Choosing to form a rocket lawyer llc operating agreement for forming your LLC is worth considering. They offer the best legal aid of any option regarding LLC creation and have many practicing attorneys employed to assist their customers with legal concerns.

Rocket Lawyer is a genuine legal service which staffs qualified attorneys capable of helping you complete the proper paperwork and meet the standards of your state. The online portal utilized by the company is also one of the simplest to use and the most secure, making it a reliable choice for individuals concerned about their privacy and legal protection.

I enjoyed several features about Rocket Lawyer. One of the most important was the simplicity of the document completion process. This service walked me through the paperwork step by step and offered reliable resources for advice and detailed explanations about the forms.

Like some of the other services, Rocket Lawyer has a tier-based pricing structure. However, the transparency of this service is great. I encountered no hidden fees and no random charges to my account even while I was exploring my options for services. Customer service was also quick to respond my queries and was friendly and straightforward with responses.

Here are some of the additional features which I enjoyed:

  • Online legal advice from legitimate lawyers
  • Document Defense
  • Free trial available

Document Defense is a great option to include for those who want to spend some extra money. With Document Defense, if there is a dispute about your documents, Rocket Lawyer LLC will have a lawyer argue on your behalf.

Here are more pros and cons to consider:

Pros

Membership is not required

High volume of satisfied customers

Legal professionals

Vast array of useful services

Cons

Pricing isn’t competitive without membership

LLC creation is a side benefit of their service, not the main draw

[Excellent Reputation]

3. Swyft Filings

Review Score:
swyftfilings logo
  • Cheaper than many alternatives.
  • Confident in their abilities and will give refunds without question.
  • They have earned an excellent reputation even though they are relatively new.
  • They offer a two-installment payment plan instead of demanding all of the money upfront.
  • They do not make you sacrifice features for the lower cost.

Swyft Filings is a good choice for a lot of businesses and you can find good Swyft Filings reviews everywhere. That said, a Swyft Filings review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the fact that their premium registered agent fees are higher and there is no option to reduce their price by packaging them with their other services.

Swyft Filings is a good choice for a lot of businesses because of its included features, unlimited customer support, and great reputation. When I worked with this service, I discovered the forms were easy to find and fill out, and customer service was quick to respond to my questions and queries.

While many of my questions could be answered by the automated service, I also have the chance to speak with a representative for a better overview of the program.

One notable feature of Swyft Filings is their legal team. Speaking with a lawyer is simple and the staff is knowledgeable. They were able to determine what I was missing from my LLC paperwork and also sent me the proper forms without delay. While no Registered Agent service is available, I was pointed in the right direction.

Finally, cash-strapped entrepreneurs will be glad to see that it is possible to pay for Swyft Filings LLC service in installments rather than needing to hand over all of the money up front. This means you can benefit from great service without needing to dole out a large sum right away. It was beneficial for me and can no doubt be helpful for you as well!

That said, a Swyft Filings review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the fact that their premium registered agent fees are higher and there is no option to reduce their price by packaging them with their other services. There is also plenty of upselling during the checkout process which became frustrating after a short period of time.

Pros

Good reputation

Good prices for LLC creation

Reasonable about payment terms

Unlimited customer support

Cons

Their registered agent fees are extremely high

4. ZenBusiness

Review Score:
ZenBusiness logo
  • They are generous and aware of social issues.
  • They offer very competitive prices for their services.
  • Their registered agent services are part of all of their packages, even the cheapest one.
  • They have a fantastic reputation and are well-liked.
  • For the right price, they will take care of all of the LLC maintenance documentation for you.

ZenBusiness is a highly respected option with very competitive pricing options. They bundle a lot of their services together without charging too much for them and ZenBusiness reviews are consistently high, which speaks very well to their reputation. However, how does the service measure up to others?

Overall, ZenBusiness LLC is a straightforward service with few thrills and a moderate pricing structure. Unlike some other options out there, they are open about how much they charge for each service and have limited attempts to upsell.

The service is premium despite requiring little investment – for example, I was able to get most features for only $49 – and customer support is quick to respond.

Honestly, ZenBusiness seems like it was created with LLC creators in mind. The forms are sent directly to you and are simple to fill out, security is high, and the entire application process is simplified to be completed in a short period of time.

The only problem I encountered was that it took the service a long time (about a week) to tell me when they sent in my paperwork. Receiving an update on my status was also one of the service’s shortcomings.

However, there is much to love. In particular, 3 LLC packages include registered agent services, an Operating Agreement, and a Worry Free CPA Assessment so you can make sure you’re in the pink. That Operating Agreement also has some excellent features like annual filing report alerts, documents submitted on your behalf, and two free changes to your filings.

Plus, a business email, website, and domain privacy are included when you opt for premium, further simplifying the entire process of starting an LLC from scratch.

Pros

Willing to take care of LLC maintenance

Very competitive pricing

Fantastic reputation

They are socially conscious

Cons

They have inconsistent turn around times

5. LegalZoom

Review Score:
LegalZoom logo
  • Extremely popular and is the most well-known LLC formation service.
  • They have an unmatched volume of customers since their formation.
  • Their customer service is available at more times than most competitors.
  • They offer an excellent variety of services.
  • You can use their LLC name search tool for free without having to be a customer.

LegalZoom is a reliable option for individuals interested in starting a small business. There are reasons why it is considered the most popular service in the current market. In particular, LegalZoom simplifies and facilitates the entire application process, has excellent customer support, and offers a broad range of services suitable for any user.

When I sampled LegalZoom LLC, I was able to take advantage of many of its benefits. One of the most significant is the optional annual report filing service. It is the best of its kind in the industry and great for business founders who want to rely on the same service for assistance in the future.

I also enjoyed the lifetime customer support, banking resolution, and the business name availability check. The banking resolution, in particular, is great since it creates a financial account authorization letter indicates who is eligible to open a checking or savings account on your LLC’s behalf.

Finally, I also enjoyed the express shipping option and was able to receive rapid notifications from LegalZoom once my paperwork was processed and accepted.

Working with LegalZoom LLC is a popular decision, though there are a lot of reasons to choose an alternative instead. They are very fond of upselling and if you agree to all of their extra features you could find yourself paying a huge amount of money to form your LLC, so you need to be aware of that while you are discussing prices with them.

Pros

They have excellent advertising

Their customer service has great availability

They offer a good amount of services

They are extremely popular

Cons

Many of their services are not part of their package deals and are expensive

6. NorthWest

Review Score:
northwest logo logo
  • They have the best customer service in the industry.
  • You do not have to worry about any kind of upselling.
  • They package their registered agent services with their LLC formation service.
  • They do not sell their customer’s information to other companies.
  • Their prices are pretty good, even if they aren’t the best.

NorthWest has the best customer service of any LLC formation company available right now and that makes them a strong contender all by itself. Their prices are reasonable, though they certainly aren’t the cheapest option available. However, there are several features which help NorthWest LLC stand out.

Users should note there are two primary services available: Registered Agent and LLC formation. At first I did not realize that Registered Agent did not include LLC formation, so users need to be aware of the distinction.

One major perk of using NorthWest is that the company will keep your information private. For example, the service will use its address instead of yours, so it never becomes public. It also has a secure online service and possesses superior customer service.

I received rapid responses when I called with questions and had step by step help for filling out my forms. Plus, if you do opt to have a Registered Agent, they are easy to talk to and always looking out for your best interests.

Besides these basics, I also appreciated the straightforward pricing structure and lack of upsells or add-ons. What you order is exactly what you receive, and NorthWest does not struggle to get you to pay for more than you need.

The company further guarantees that none of your information will be sold to third parties – which is unfortunately common with LLC starter services – and includes some free services. These include annual report reminders, an online account, and mail scanning.

The only major downside you will encounter with this company is the pricing, which tends to be higher than other options.

Pros

Unparalleled customer service

Excellent registered agent services

Customer privacy is valued

No upselling!

Cons

They aren’t the cheapest LLC formation option

There are not a lot of reviews for NorthWest, which might concern some customers

7. MyCorporation

Review Score:
MyCorporation logo
  • They have a wealth of experience in the industry.
  • They have a great reputation for customer service.
  • They offer financial services that most of their competitors don’t.
  • It is easy to find discount promotions for their services.
  • They offer a good amount of services.

Many people will have heard of mycorporation LLC as it has been around for a long time. You cannot find a mycorporation review that doesn’t point out the huge amount of customers that have been satisfied by them which is a good sign.

However, I don’t just rely upon the reviews of others and wanted to sample their services myself to see if the company lived up to its online hype. Overall, I was moderately impressed.

Completing the LLC formation paperwork with this service was straightforward and easy to do. Every step was explained and I had access to professionals 24/7 who were willing to answer my questions. The company also uses a secure server to store information and does not make any of it public. However, it was some of the additional features that I enjoyed the most.

MyCorporation offers a yearly business maintenance service, called MaintainMyBiz. You can sign up and pay for this service after creating your LLC and it helps you run your company by choosing services like annual renewals.

Plus, services are often discounted. Without a discount, though, they are quite expensive so you should make sure you have one if you choose to work with them.

Pros

Very experienced

Good customer service

Financial services offered

Often discounted

Cons

They are fairly expensive

You have to pay a lot to get free registered agent service

Are LLC Formation Services Legit?

The short answer is that almost all services that offer to help you form an LLC will do exactly that, but their intentions may vary.

If we dissect this question in more detail, I can say that some LLC formation services are exactly what they sound like, whereas some are more interested in what they can get out of you in both the long-term and the short-term and you have to be wary of that.

Thankfully, if you read the previous section then you know that you will likely be able to weed those companies out while you are researching their reliability before you decide to work with them.

Does Using an LLC Service Give Me More Legal Protection or Privacy?

What is considered as the alternative here changes the answer to the question. If the considered alternative is forming the LLC yourself without doing proper research and understanding the laws involved.

Then you are likely going to receive more legal protection and more privacy from everyone but the service you choose to work with because it won’t be required for your address to become a matter of public record available to anyone interested.

If the alternative is having an attorney walk you through the process, then the answer is a clear no.

Working with a legal professional may be expensive, but with that expense comes more security and better service than you would receive from a lower-cost online solution but you are still faced with a loss of privacy from having your name attached to the LLC unless you choose to have the attorney act as your agent as well, which would be very expensive.

It also comes with more inconvenience in the form of time and monetary costs, so there is a tradeoff that you have to consider.

Does It Matter If I Choose the Cheapest Package?

The cheapest package available from an LLC formation company should still be enough to get the job done. Usually what you are paying for with higher packages is more specialized service and expediency.

Since you are already choosing to save yourself the effort of learning how to create an llc on your own, you may value that expediency much more and therefore consider going with the more expensive packages.

That said, you should be careful and keep yourself aware of the cost, as some companies will try to charge you as much as you would have to pay a law professional for their services, in which case, why bother working with that company when you could receive better service from an attorney?

Are There Any Risks to Using an Online LLC Service?

You are eliminating a lot of the risk involved with figuring out how to form an llc on your own by working with an LLC creation service.

Any well-known and reputable LLC formation service will have acquired that reputation by helping a lot of people with that very task, so you can rest assured that by working with them you have ensured that your LLC is formed correctly and there shouldn’t be any hiccups or unforeseen problems that crop up.

The only risk involved in working with an online LLC service comes when you are choosing which one to work with as some are less reputable and do not have the best intentions. That said, you can rest assured that working with any of the ones discussed here will be just fine.

Is My State’s LLC Registration Fee Included in the Prices Above?

Definitely not. There are different fees associated with the formation of an LLC depending on which of the fifty states you are operating out of. No LLC formation company is going to offer to pay those fees for you as part of their package because there would be no way to standardize their costs unless they only worked out of a single state, which wouldn’t be very cost-effective.

So, any prices that I quote here will not include the state fees that you will have to pay, so you should add them on top of what is stated here.

Is IncFile Really a Free LLC Formation Service?

Yes! Incfile llc does offer a completely free package, and it even comes with extra features on top of the service of creating your LLC for you. It is called the Silver package and the only cost you will have to pay is the aforementioned state fees.

If you choose to go with that package, you might also be comforted to know that incfile reviews are usually extremely positive, so you can expect to get excellent service from them at an unbeatable price.

Do I Have to Use a Service to Form an LLC?

You do not have to use a service like legalzoom llc or rocket lawyer llc to form your new LLC. You can go through the entire process yourself if you prefer that method, or you could hire legal help outside of an online service.

Unless you have received training in working with the law, it is recommended that you get help of some kind. Forming an LLC is a complex process and it can be both confusing and difficult to get right on your own.

How Much Would it Cost to Have an Attorney Start My LLC?

The cost to hire a legal professional to assist you with the formation of your LLC varies by state and by who you decide to work with.

Generally speaking, it is going to cost more than working with an online LLC creation service, at the least. In some cases, you are looking at an expense of more than 1,000 dollars to get your LLC formed and ready to start operating.

Should I Reserve My LLC Name Before Starting an LLC?

The only times when it would be needed to reserve your LLC’s name before it is formed is if the state you are in requires that you do so, or if you are checking the name’s availability before you are ready to complete the formation process. Otherwise, feel free to hang onto the name until you are ready to complete the formation process.

What LLC Service Helps with NY Publication Requirements?

You will be hard-pressed to find a company that will undertake this task. You are better off searching specifically for a company to help with the publication requirements for forming an LLC in New York than finding an all-encompassing service. Some online services will help with this, so if you do need an online service to help with it, you can find one.

Do Services That Start an LLC Help With Other Things Too?

Almost all of the reputable ones do, which is why it is so difficult to decide which ones are best and compare them. Usually, it comes down to what those other services they provide are.

Should I Set Up an LLC in a State With a Lower State Fee?

You are most likely better off forming your LLC in the state that it will operate out of. There are a lot of complications and potential problems that will arise when you decide to form your LLC in a state other than the one it is operating out of that mitigate the potential benefits.

Upsells Drive Me Crazy. Which Service Is the Least Annoying?

Your best bet is to work with northwest llc formation. They don’t make any attempts to upsell you on the package you chose or any unnecessary features. They leave that decision in your hands and won’t pester you about it.

Should I Buy an LLC Kit?

These things are not really worth the cost. Essentially, they are just an unnecessary showpiece that is purely there for aesthetics. You can safely avoid the extra expense and probably should do so.

Is an EIN Worth Paying Extra for?

It depends on whether the added convenience of having the LLC service do it for you is worth it to you or not. Technically speaking, this is an unnecessary expense since you can get an EIN completely free from the IRS.

That said, the whole reason you are going through an LLC service is for the convenience, so it might be worth it to you to have them do it for you.

What is a Registered Agent? Is An Agent Service Worth Using?

It is not a question of whether a Registered Agent is worth using as they are required. They serve as sort of a legal representative for your business and they are the ones that receive documents from the government that are important to the running of your business.

You can take responsibility for this task yourself but using a service or getting a legal representative is recommended.

If an LLC Service is the Organizer, How Do I Own My Business?

The “organizer” of an LLC has no relation to ownership in any way. Whoever set up your LLC is considered the “organizer” and even that qualification goes away once the LLC is formed and begins operation.

Are There LLC Naming Requirements I Have to Follow?

Just a few that you need to keep in mind. The most important is that “LLC” or some variation of “limited liability company” has to be somewhere in the name so that everyone knows what kind of company it is.

You also have to avoid using certain words in the name that are reserved for certain kinds of businesses. Finally, as you might expect, you can’t use the same name for your LLC as someone else, it has to be unique.

What Are the Overall Costs for Starting an LLC Online?

The cost will vary based on many of the factors we have already discussed, such as where you are operating and how you go about setting up the LLC. Regardless of those factors, you will have to pay the state fees we’ve discussed for the creation of your LLC and the cost of any assistance you get with the process.

It is also recommended that you hire a Registered Agent. Altogether, the cost can get pretty high, which is another reason that a service is recommended as a lot of these things are bundled together in their cost.

Will These Services Also Handle Future LLC Requirements?

They may or may not, depending on how much you spend and who you decide to work with. Some companies offer services like this if you pay them enough, some will only assist you with the creation of your LLC and nothing more.

Is the LLC the Best Business Entity?

LLCs are very popular, and for good reason, but a generalization like this wouldn’t do the question the justice it deserves. Ultimately, which type of business entity you should use depends on what your business is as well as numerous other factors.

Do I Need to Be in the USA to Set Up an LLC?

You do not. There are no requirements related to where you are located on the earth and you don’t even have to be a citizen of the United States to set up an LLC, which is one of the primary reasons that LLCs are so popular.